For those philistines among us

We have to shake our collective head and laugh or we might sink into a slough of despond.

Once again, this space is the target of a nescient reader who doesn't understand that this is the newspaper's opinion, not that of an individual, and, therefore, is "unsigned."

Far bigger papers than ours follow the same standard: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The LA Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Portland Press Herald, The Bangor Daily News.

Editorials are the thoughts of many, coalesced into one cohesive missive. Most of our editorials are written collectively. A few by individuals. All represent the paper's position not an individual's.

If, when an editorial is written by an individual, that person's name is attached, whatever that journalist writes from that point on will be read through the lens of the opinion expressed in the editorial.

We understand the blood lust of readers who hunger to know who, specifically, wrote which editorial. (Interestingly, no one ever comments when an editorial is laudatory ... .) But most editorials are the result of healthy debate amongst the newspaper staff resulting in editorial offspring with a mongrel's DNA. This is most especially true when the topic is controversial or critical. Less so when congratulatory in nature.

Our staff works hard to write fairly, objectively and to present all sides in every story. We are commended weekly for achieving this goal.

However, should that same staff be by-lined on an editorial, our readers will cease to completely trust future stories.

So caterwaul in disagreement with the newspaper's opinion, but, please, stop whining about signing.

And for those benighted few who still don't understand the heading "Our Views" (our being plural – us – the newspaper) who sputter and protest, hurling nonsensical accusations when they don't agree or don't like the newspaper's opinion ... we shall, from now on, include the following "signature": The Advertiser Democrat Editorial Board.

The Advertiser Democrat Editorial Board